In the late 1990s, in a narrow alley of the old district of Jinjiang City, the faint morning mist had yet to fully dissipate, making the gentle light from above appear cool and clear.
The sun hadn't climbed to a spot where you could see it by just lifting your head, and the sky was still dim and hazy.
Every day on my way to and from school, the same scenes would fill my view. If anything had to be said, the ground would be slightly better when coming back from school, often retaining a heat that felt as if it had been covered with bedding all day.
Xu Xiangyang closed the door, locked it with his key, and with his backpack on, walked down the stairs, shrinking his neck from the cold.
"It's supposed to be spring already..."
He grumbled as he rubbed his hands together, with the bustling sounds of people in his ears.
Most of the households on both sides of the alley were awake, with the occasional sight of someone yawning, sleep in their eyes, stepping out to fetch water or take out the garbage in their sweater and pants. The sounds of children running, adults calling out, and the clashing of pots and pans filled the air with the breath of life—this alley was a corner of the city slowly awakening from a dream.
Looking up, you could see the intertwined black lines, with an electric pole at the end of the road. Below were rows of clothes hanging to dry, swaying in the wind.
It seemed to have rained last night, with the damp ground and walls giving off a dull green hue. Occasionally, my feet would step on an unstable flagstone and, if not careful, water would easily splash onto my shoes and socks.
Xu Xiangyang reached a garbage can with its lid on the side, just in time to hear a woman's cursing from nearby.
"Get out! Such a young age and already staying out all night, are you planning to run away from home next?"
A girl carrying a backpack with one hand walked out of a door and, upon hearing this, turned her head to retort without a trace of courtesy.
"Even if that day comes, it will be because you drove me to it!"
Xu Xiangyang recognized them, a mother and daughter who lived in this alley. The daughter was his own age. He knew about this because, before the new term began, he had seen her at school.
The girl who hurried out of the door nearly ran into Xu Xiangyang, standing still in surprise. The girl, who was about the same age as Xu Xiangyang, had a delicate and pretty face, with skin as pale as the actresses in TV commercials. The plain school uniform on her carried an air of youthful and refreshing beauty.
Her features were slightly immature, and she was slender, but she could still be considered a pure beauty. Standing there in a dim, hazy world, she seemed to brighten the surroundings, out of place in this grimy environment.
However, her face was always devoid of expression. Giving him a fleeting glance, she walked on quickly by herself. Her smooth, long black hair swayed behind her, and her steps were full of proud vivacity.
The girl's name was Lin Xingjie, and Xu Xiangyang had noticed her on the first day he moved in here.
Because of that, he had seen that others were also keenly watching her—not just him. A few men in their twenties to thirties, still unmarried, and even middle-aged men with beer bellies and white tank tops, often cast improper glances at her.
No wonder, as Lin Xingjie's appearance and figure stood out among the neighbors in the alley. But Xu Xiangyang's interest was different from the others; for example, today he noticed the adhesive bandage on the girl's face, likely covering a recently treated wound.
Lin Xingjie seemed to intentionally cover it with her hair as she walked, as if she didn't want it to be seen.
Xu Xiangyang shook his head.
Though he was somewhat concerned, he didn't speak up, knowing she wouldn't respond and would just treat him as if he were air. He watched her walk away until she disappeared into the alley, before he was willing to continue onward.
He didn't want to go to school with her, nor did he want people at school to know they were neighbors, all because he feared being mistakenly thought to have some relationship with her.
—"From now on, mind your own business."
Back then, her icy voice lingered in his ears. A humiliating experience like this, in front of everyone, was enough for a sensitive boy his age with a strong sense of pride.
*
The day Xu Xiangyang met Lin Xingjie was a winter afternoon just before the second semester of their sophomore year of high school was about to begin.
At the time, due to Li Qinglian's job transfer, he followed his guardian to a new city. His old school was no longer an option, so Xu Xiangyang faced the first transfer of his life.
That afternoon, he and his sister had just returned from handling the transfer procedures at school, their hands full with bags of groceries from passing through the market. Carrying plastic bags in both hands and tucking items under his arms was far from easy; but the young woman dressed in a sharp ladies' suit ahead of him strode effortlessly.
Sister Lian was a police officer, trained specially and an elite in the detective squad. Not just an underage kid like him, even a couple of grown men were likely no match for her.
Watching his sister move further ahead, Xu Xiangyang wanted to call out but then shut his mouth.
His sister wasn't intentionally leaving him behind. After spending enough time with her, he knew all too well. His guardian had the bad habit of sometimes being too engrossed in her thoughts, ending up oblivious to her surroundings.